Us Against the World
by Across The Lands 23
Summary: Charlotte "Charlie" Black, daughter of Sirius Black, is known to the world as Charlie Lily after that night in Godric's Hollow. Only, she knows nothing of her past except that it harbors secrets and questions: like what does everything keep coming back to Harry Potter?
1. Chapter 1

**Us Against the World**

Suddenly, a baby's screams echoed through her small Godric's Hollow cottage. Lily instantly dropped everything and ran to the front room where James and Harry were. From the threshold into the room, she found Harry smiling on the rug while he played with wooden blocks; but she still heard the screams. Looking to her husband, she saw James wincing at the mirror in his hand. The two-way mirror that was his connection to his best friend: Sirius Black.

"Mate, are you sure that you wouldn't prefer to talk to Lily? She's better at this sort of thing than I am," James said.

"Talk to me about what?" Lily said.

James' eyes widened as he turned to look to his wife. He sheepishly grinned at her as she stood in the doorway with her arms folded across her chest with her ginger hair falling in front of her face.

"Sirius is having…issues," James said.

"I am not!" Sirius shouted from the mirror.

The screams continued as Lily walked across the room and snatched the mirror from James.

"Sirius, what's going on?" Lily asked.

"Nothing I can't handle," Sirius said stubbornly.

"Padfoot, either you tell her or I will," James said loudly enough for Sirius to hear him.

Sirius groaned and after a few moments of silence he spilled everything to Lily.

"I don't know what I'm doing. She won't stop crying and we both haven't slept in what seems like days. Just when I think she's finally going to get some sleep she wakes-up and starts screaming bloody murder," Sirius said.

"Have you changed her?" Lily asked.

"I'm not _that_ bad of a father," Sirius said hotly.

"I'm sorry, I was just checking. That's usually one of the reasons Harry starts screaming. That or he's hungry," Lily said.

"I've been changing her and she won't eat," Sirius sighed.

"Then she's probably sick," Lily answered.

"I figured that much out already. I just don't know what I'm supposed to do. These things don't come with manuals," Sirius said.

"These things come with time, Sirius. It's only been four months," Lily sighed.

"She should have known better than to leave me with a damn baby. I can barely take care of myself," Sirius hissed.

"Whining about the past isn't going to help your daughter feel better," Lily retorted.

"Fine, then what do I do?" Sirius asked.

Lily examined Sirius through the mirror. His eyes were blood-shot and had dark circles around them, from his lack of sleep. The poor guy looked miserable like he really hadn't slept in days and Lily's heart went out to him. Sirius was trying his best, but he wasn't ready for the father thing when he was suddenly thrust into fatherhood back in July. Marlene McKinnon, one of Sirius' flings, had dropped off their daughter on his doorstep mere weeks before his death, leaving Sirius alone. She tried to help Sirius as much as she could from the confines of her home, but what Sirius really needed was a good night of sleep to gather his wits.

"James will be over there shortly to get her. We'll look after her while you get some sleep," Lily sighed.

"You mean it, Lils?" James asked.

James instantly shot-up from the couch and looked at his wife.

"What kind of godparents would we be if we didn't step-in and help?" Lily asked with one hand on her hip.

With a grin on his face, James stood-up and snatched the mirror from his wife. Lily knew that he was more excited of the prospect of seeing his best friend than getting a sick baby, which caused her to slightly chuckle at her husband.

"Be careful!" Lily said sternly.

James didn't respond because he was already wrapped in his cloak and out the door. Lily shook her head and kneeled down on the floor by Harry. He giggled as Lily tickled him.

"You're going to have a friend over tonight, little man," Lily said.

Harry grinned a smiled similar to James and Lily tickled him once more before picking him up and carrying him to the kitchen so that she could finish the dishes from supper. She set Harry down on the floor of the kitchen while she finished washing the dishes. Just as Lily put the last dish in the cupboard, James walked into the kitchen carrying a baby girl who was only a few weeks younger than Harry was. James clung tightly to the little girl as she screamed.

"You poor thing," Lily cooed.

Lily grabbed the girl and gently bounced her in her arms.

"I was thinking you meant me at first," James teased.

"Uncle James is so mean to you, isn't he Charlie?" Lily said.

The little girl stopped her wailing and looked at Lily with big eyes. Her eyes were unmistakably Sirius' eyes. When Marlene had dropped the little Charlotte (or Charlie, as Sirius began to call her) off on Sirius' door, there was no doubt in anyone's minds that she wasn't his.

"How's Sirius?" Lily asked.

"I made sure he went to bed. He looked exhausted," James said.

Charlie then began to scream again in Lily's arms.

"I know, Aunt Lily is scary," James teased again.

"Shut it, James," Lily reprimanded.

"See what I mean?" James whispered.

Lily gently smacked James' arm before he knelt down and picked Harry up off the floor. Harry smiled up at his father as Lily held a crying Charlie.

"There's my boy. Why don't we go do some manly things and give the girls some alone time," James said to Harry.

"Change him into his pajamas, please," Lily said.

With Harry in his arms, James walked Harry back to the front room. Meanwhile, Lily moved to the sink and began to fill it with warm water. When Harry was sick, she usually could get him to sleep with a warm bath; so she hoped the same would be true of Charlie. As Lily placed the girl in the bathwater she instantly relaxed and even playfully splashed. Lily breathed a sigh of relief and hoped that the little girl would be able to get a good night's sleep. Lily gently splashed the little girl as Charlie tried to splash her back.

Lily felt bad that her goddaughter would grow-up never knowing her mother. Marlene had been killed by the Death Eaters, but Marlene had known that they were trailing her and to keep Charlie safe, she had given-up her little girl. As much as Sirius put on a front that he wasn't a great father, he really was and Lily knew that Charlie was the best thing that happened to him. By the time Lily pulled Charlie out of the bath, she was soaked. She chuckled as she wrapped the girl in a towel and placed gentle kisses on the girl's forehead. Charlie yawned as Lily picked her up.

"James, I'm going to try to put Charlie down for the night," Lily called.

"Good luck!" James called back.

Lily rolled her eyes and carried Charlie up to Harry's room. She smiled as she noticed that James had already placed Charlie's bag of things up here and opened it to take out a fuzzy sleeper. Once Charlie was changed, Lily sat down in the rocking chair and rocked the little girl while she sang a lullaby. Within minutes, Charlie's eyes began to droop and soon after that, the girl was fast asleep. For a few more minutes, Lily sat and rocked the small girl before placing her in Harry's crib. She watched for a few minutes to make sure the girl didn't wake up before heading back downstairs to her husband and son. She opened the door and looked at James who was playing with his wand as Harry enjoyed the puffs of smoke.

"Charlie's asleep," Lily said.

"You must have the magic touch," James smiled.

"Then I should probably use it on Harry," Lily said.

James picked-up Harry and walked him over to Lily. Lily smiled as she took hold of her son and leaned over to place a kiss on James' cheek.

.

"I love you," James smiled back.

Lily kissed him once more and headed upstairs with Harry. Just as she did with Charlie, she rocked Harry to sleep. As she placed a kiss on her son's forehead, she could hear James screaming from downstairs.

"Lily it's him! Take them and run! I'll hold him off!"

Lily's eyes widened as she began to panic. Her wand was downstairs in the kitchen. She hadn't thought that she would need it to put the children to bed, so there was no easy way to get out of here. She kissed Harry again and put him in the crib beside Charlie. Harry woke up and Lily began to pile everything that wasn't the crib in front of the door. She knew that it wouldn't keep Voldemort away, but it was the best she could do and maybe it would distract him for a while, while she came up with a better idea. Harry's crawled on top of Charlie, waking her up, and she began to scream as the door handle jiggled.

Tears streamed from Lily's eyes, they weren't going to make it. They were going to be counted as victims to the countless others murdered by him and his followers. Lily's thoughts instantly turned to Sirius. They had never questioned the safety of Charlie. He was about to lose his entire world. That little girl was what he lived for. The door flung open. There was only one thing left to do: plead.

"Not Harry! Please not Harry or Charlie!" Lily cried.

"Stand aside!" Voldemort ordered.

"Please take me instead! Leave the children alone!" Lily pleaded.

"This is my last warning…" Voldemort hissed.

"Have mercy…please have mercy," Lily cried.

"I said to stand aside!" Voldemort shouted.

Voldemort's wand was drawn at the crib, so Lily did the only thing she could think of: she threw herself in front of the crib. But that only lasted momentarily before a green light filled the room and Lily Potter's dead body dropped to the floor. Harry clutched the bars of the crib looking at Voldemort as the girl continued to scream. The Dark Lord growled something under his breath before pointing his wand at the boy. But why not take care of both of them at once? The green light filled the room once more and then it was dark.


	2. Chapter 2

A green jet of light flashed which caused a young blonde-haired girl to instantly sit-up in her bed. That light, it always woke her up. This wasn't the first time that she had dreamed that in her short almost eleven years of life. She couldn't remember exactly when they started; she only knew that they had been recurring for as long as she could remember. With her hand, she tucked her blonde hair behind her ear which slowly moved down her neck. Her body tingled as her fingers gently rested on the scar on her neck. The scar, usually hidden from view by her hair was small and faint, but it was in the shape of a lightning bolt. Miss Hester told her that she had the scar when she arrived on her doorstep as a baby.

Miss Hester was one of two older women who ran the foster home she lived at on the outskirts of London. The other woman was Miss Pearl; she was Miss Hester's sister. Neither woman was particularly fond of Charlie, seeing as she had been the longest. Most of the children who went through Miss Hester and Miss Pearl's Home for the Orphaned usually found families and were adopted; but not Charlie. Prospective parents found Charlie to be a bit odd. They never gave a decent reasoning for why they couldn't adopt her. Their reasoning usually ended-up being something about her not being a good match for their family. Then the years went on and people were less likely to adopt a grown child than they were a baby or a toddler. This meant Charlie was left with Miss Hester and Miss Pearl. The two women had eventually given-up hope of Charlie ever finding a home or even being the so-called normal.

Charlie stood-up and quietly padded across the hardwood floor in her bare feet. She moved to the window, noting that for once, the stars shone brightly overhead. She didn't know why, but she always felt some strange fascination and pull toward the stars. Looking at them made her feel at peace and not so alone in the world. Sometimes, she would imagine that the stars were her family members: they might be far away, but they were always looking down on her. Charlie knew nothing of her family. Miss Hester and Miss Pearl knew just as much as she did. Apparently, around Halloween many years ago she had been placed on their doorstep with a note, which hadn't said much. It had asked Miss Hester and Miss Pearl to take care of her until they found a suitable family for her. The note had only mentioned her first name and made no mention of her family's name; so she had very little hope of ever finding out anything about her family. The only other valuable piece of information the note had mentioned was her birthday: August 24, 1980; which was still almost a month away.

"Another one?" the girl in the bed beside Charlie's groaned.

"Yeah," Charlie sighed.

"You have the oddest dreams," the girl muttered.

"You don't have to tell me," Charlie said.

The girl in the bed beside hers had been there a few years less than Charlie, but she was a year older than her. She and Charlie weren't what you would call friends, but they had each other's back seeing as they were the two who had been there the longest. Charlie rolled her icy eyes and sat on the window sill looking-up once more at the stars. She drank in the vastness of the stars as a shooting star shot across the night's sky. In that moment she tightly closed her eyes and made a wish; a wish that things would change. She sat still for several moments after her wish before she walked over to her bed and crawled in for another restless night's sleep, not knowing that her wish was about to become true.

A loud rap on the door roused Charlie from her sleep. She opened one eye a slight crack and noticed the girl she shared a room with still sleeping; so she assumed that she had made the noise up in her head. _Wouldn't be the first time_, Charlie thought. So, she shut her eyes once more and flipped over to her stomach as she hugged her pillow tightly. The rap came at the door once more.

"Charlie!" Miss Hester's voice shrilled.

"Five more minutes," Charlie groaned.

"You have a visitor!" Miss Hester shouted through the door.

Charlie looked at the alarm clock on her bedside table. It was on a quarter until eight in the morning. Who in their bloody mind would be calling on her, an unknown nobody? The last time she had a visitor this early it had been a police officer. She had been a suspect in stealing some baked goods. But honestly, she had only been looking into the window from the sidewalk wishing that she had that perfectly looking biscuit when it had suddenly appeared in her hand. And of course, the bakery's owner had been watching her at that exact moment; but he wouldn't believe that a biscuit could end-up in her hand without her stealing it! Honestly, it was like magic; but what police officer would believe her story? Needless to say, she had been on strict watch since then; but she wasn't a thief! Miss Hester yelled for her once more, so rather reluctantly she stood-up and walked over to the door, opening it wide enough to stick her head through the crack.

"Am I in trouble?" Charlie asked.

"You tell me," Miss Hester said sharply.

"Not that I can remember," Charlie answered.

"Well, put on something nice and drag a brush through that hair of yours. I want you downstairs in ten minutes," Miss Hester hissed before she walked away.

As Miss Hester walked away, Charlie rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue before she closed the door. She then walked over to the closet where the very few articles of clothing she owned hung. Only one nice outfit hung in her closet a blue dress with frills on the sleeves. The dress was used for church outings. Miss Hester said that they were always supposed to dress their best for the Lord, but Charlie knew the nice dress was only a ploy for people to believe that even though they were orphans, they were still given they very best life had to offer at Miss Hester and Miss Pearl's Home for the Orphaned. No sooner than had Charlie pulled the dress on and brushed her hair did Miss Hester call for her from the bottom of the stairs. Charlie rolled her eyes once more and muttered something under her breath before she headed downstairs to meet her unknown fate. Charlie shuffled down the stairs until she came to the banister which she mounted and slid down. At the bottom of the banister Miss Hester yanked her arm hard pulling her off.

"How many times have I told you not to do that," Miss Hester hissed.

"Apparently not enough times for me to listen," Charlie retorted.

Miss Hester glared daggers at her before she pulled her into the sitting room where Miss Pearl sat pouring a cup of tea for the visitor whose back was to Charlie. The angry woman whispered words for Charlie to be on her best behavior for their guest before she plastered a fake smile on her face and offered Charlie a chair to sit on. Charlie plopped onto the chair only to receive a nasty glance from Miss Hester.

"You'll have to excuse the girl's lack of manners," Miss Pearl apologized.

"I'm sure she means no harm," said the visitor.

"Now about that school…" Miss Hester began.

Charlie looked at the strange woman seated on the sofa in front of her. Her hair was tied back into a stiff bun which matched the stern look on her face from under her spectacles. This was probably Miss Hester and Miss Pearl's idea of a reform school representative. They had threatened to send her to one after the bakery incident, but Charlie had thought them to be bluffing. Apparently, they hadn't been.

"Charlotte would be a perfect fit for our school," the stern woman said.

"You're sure that you accept discipline cases?" Miss Hester asked.

"We are the ones who sought Charlotte out, are we not?" the woman questioned.

Charlotte? Charlie had never been called that before. It had always been Charlie. But what concerned her wasn't the use of her given name; no it was the fact that she still had no idea what they were talking about. What school? She was supposed to start the local school soon, but now there was talk of a different school and they were looking for her. Confused couldn't even begin to cover what Charlie was feeling. She scratched as her head, behind her ear which revealed her scar. The woman's eyes seemed to flash briefly before Miss Pearl pulled her arm down and reprimanded her for fidgeting.

"Would you mind if I talk with Charlotte alone?" the stern woman asked.

Miss Pearl and Miss Hester looked at each other like that was the last thing they wanted to do: leave Charlie with the older woman. They were scared that Charlie would do something to offend the woman and then they wouldn't be able to be rid of her. Reluctantly, the women agreed and walked out of the sitting room, closing the French doors behind them. The stern woman shifted slightly and stared at Charlie for a moment as if she deep in thought. Rather quickly though, the woman broke her reverie and looked at Charlie.

"Charlotte, I'm Professor McGonagall," the woman said stiffly.

"My name is Charlie," Charlie retorted.

"Fine then, _Charlie_, I'm here to tell you about the school where I teach," Professor McGonagall responded. "I'm sure you'll find Hogwarts to your liking."

"Highly unlikely; if Miss Hester and Miss Pearl are considering it," Charlie muttered.

"I'll let you read about it for yourself," Professor McGonagall said.

She held out an envelope for Charlie to grab. Charlie looked at the stern woman hesitantly before she reached for the envelope.

_Miss Charlotte Lily_

_Smallest Bedroom on the Second Story_

_Number 6 Cottage Grove Road_

_Waltham Abbey, England_

Charlie looked at the enveloped quizzically. How did this woman know where she lived and more specifically where she slept? She was a little creeped-out, but she was more curious than she was creeped-out so she turned the enveloped over to open it. It was sealed closed with a seal that had some strange crest on it. The crest was divided into four parts with a letter "H" in the foreground. Before opening the envelope, Charlie looked to the woman who called herself Professor McGonagall who nodded for her to continue. Tearing the envelope open to shreds, a letter fell into her hands. She slowly unfolded the odd paper, not prepared to find the words written inside. Charlie carefully read the first lines out loud in no more than a whisper.

_Dear Miss Lily,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…_

Charlie shook her head and stopped reading before the letter was even finished. What was this woman trying to get at? First she knew the exact place where she slept and now she was trying to convince her that there was some school for witchcraft and wizardry? This had to be bogus.

"What does this mean?" Charlie asked.

"Charlotte—I mean, Charlie, you're a witch," Professor McGonagall said.

"That's not very nice to say to someone you've just met and believe me, I've said my share of nasty things," Charlie responded.

"Have you ever made things happen which you can't explain?" Professor McGonagall asked calmly.

"Sure, but so do most people," Charlie shrugged.

"Like the incident at the bakery?" McGonagall asked.

"How do you know about that? No one's supposed to know about that," Charlie hissed.

"All underage magical activity is recorded. The Ministry just doesn't start enforcing things until a young witch or wizard begins learning to control their magic," Professor McGonagall explained.

"I didn't do it! It just appeared in my hands!" Charlie argued.

"I believe you. At Hogwarts, we can help you to control your magic so that there are no more incidents like this," Professor McGonagall said.

With a stubborn look on her face, Charlie returned her attention to the letter. As she continued to read, she noticed that the date on which she needed to accept or decline enrollment was July 31, today! Listed below was a supply list, but Charlie looked once more to the older woman.

"Why me?" Charlie asked.

"I believe I already explained that," Professor McGonagall said.

"Well why did you wait until now to tell me?" Charlie questioned.

"We've had our hands full, so to speak, at Hogwarts as of late," Professor McGonagall answered.

"I—I don't have any money to go to school," Charlie sighed.

"There are sufficient funds for you to attend," Professor McGonagall said.

"But what about Miss Hester and Miss Pearl; they want me at a reform school. If they found out that I was going to a school of magic…" Charlie began.

"That's one instance we'll need to bend the truth. We want to keep our word secret from the muggles, those without magic. They believe you are going to a school to help your behavior issues and in a roundabout way we can say Hogwarts will be that school," Professor McGonagall replied.

"Do you really think I have behavior issues?" Charlie questioned.

"Miss Bl—erm—Lily, I hardly know you and cannot make that judgment. All I can tell you is that many young witches and wizards, some very much like yourself, attend Hogwarts; but ultimately, the choice is yours," Professor McGonagall answered.

"I suppose it can't be worse than Miss Hester and Miss Pearl," Charlie reasoned.

"Very well then, we should be on our way," Professor McGonagall said.

"But school doesn't start until September 1st!" Charlie scoffed.

"That may very well be, but now is the best time to shop for supplies in Diagon Alley," Professor McGonagall said.

The older woman stood-up and motioned for Miss Hester and Miss Pearl to step inside. She told them that Charlie was exactly what their school was looking for which made Miss Hester look like she was about to go into shock. After her brief talk with the sisters, Professor McGonagall motioned for Charlie to follow after her. Charlie wasn't exactly sure where they were headed, but she was sure that it couldn't be any worse than being stuck at Miss Hester and Miss Pearl's Home for the Orphaned; so she followed Professor McGonagall into the unknown.


	3. Chapter 3

A wide-eyed Charlie followed the woman named Professor McGonagall through the streets. She had no idea where the woman was planning on taking her, but something in her gut told her that she could trust this woman. Trust her more than the women who had been her caretakers since before she could remember. The woman walked briskly and quickly down the sidewalk. Charlie was even having a hard time keeping up, but Professor McGonagall stopped in front of the bus station. Charlie had never been to the bus station before. She had considered it once when she thought about running away from Miss Hester and Miss Pearl, but something had held her back from doing so. Stepping through the door a rat crossed her path causing her to scream. She hated rats! Something about them didn't feel right. They were just vile and disgusting creatures. It was as if she had a predisposition to hating rats.

"It's only a rat," Professor McGonagall chided her.

"Only a rat? They're only the most disgusting creatures on the planet," Charlie muttered.

Professor McGonagall looked at her sternly to which Charlie responded by rolling her eyes. Only then, did Charlie notice that the building they were in wasn't empty. There were several people sitting on the benches staring at them, but Professor McGonagall forged forward to the ticket booth. The man at the booth looked at them both crossly.

"Two tickets to Charing Cross Road, please," Professor McGonagall said.

The man muttered the prices of the tickets as Professor McGonagall handed over the money before he even finished speaking. He looked at her oddly before handing her the tickets. The older woman held on to both of the tickets as she gracefully waltzed across the room to a bench. Charlie clumsily followed behind, making sure that no other horrid creatures, known as rats, crossed her path. As she sat on the bench beside the stiff woman, Charlie constantly fidgeted, so much so that Professor McGonagall reprimanded her. Charlie rolled her eyes at the woman's reprimand, but Professor McGonagall seemed to ignore it. It was almost as if she had been expecting such a reaction. After what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was on twenty minutes, their bus finally arrived. Charlie was the first to stand up when their bus arrived, not wanting to sit on the hard bench for another minute. She was about to head for the exit when Professor McGonagall reached her hand out and took hold of the young girl's arm. Charlie groaned when she was once again reprimanded to stay with the older woman. Professor McGonagall began a long spiel about what she was and wasn't supposed to do, but Charlie was too occupied with all the people on the bus to comprehend what the older woman was saying.

Charlie watched out the window wide-eyed as they passed countless buildings. She had never realized that there was so much more to the world outside Waltham Abbey. Never once in her life had she been outside it's confines; yet now, she was heading into London to go shopping for a school which she assumed wasn't anywhere near Waltham Abbey. Once again, Professor McGonagall sat stiffly, but this time she didn't reprimand Charlie for her antics as she looked out the window. The bus finally came to a halt at Charing Cross Road. Professor McGonagall and Charlie stepped off the bus and as soon as they were off Professor McGonagall took off in a brisk walk again.

"Charlotte, keep up," Professor McGonagall called.

"It's Charlie,' Charlie muttered.

The young girl attempted to run for Professor McGonagall, but she tripped over an uneven break in the walkway. Charlie fell to the ground and skid her knee against the hard pavement. Her bare knee began to bleed, but she stifled back the tears not wanting to look like a baby in front of the older woman she had only met this morning. She sat on the ground holding her knee close as Professor McGonagall turned around to notice Charlie. The older woman quickly walked back to where Charlie sat and carefully bent down to her level.

"What happened?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"I—I tripped," Charlie said as she allowed a few tears to slip down her cheeks.

"Clumsiness always did run in the family," Professor McGonagall muttered.

"What?" Charlie asked.

"We're almost to the Leaky Cauldron. Can you make it a few blocks and we'll fix you up there?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"I—I think I can make it," Charlie said.

Professor McGonagall helped Charlie to her feet and wrapped her arm around the girl to help her walk. As they walked down the street, Professor McGonagall ushered Charlie to a building that looked like it normally would have gone unnoticed. The small sign that hung overheard said "The Leaky Cauldron," and the bell rang when McGonagall opened the door. The place was dimly lit and the place seemed to be abuzz. But Professor McGonagall ushered her to a table, where she sat down on a chair. The older woman rolled up Charlie's pant leg so that she could see the injury on her knee. After nodding her head, McGonagall stood up and walked over to the bar man.

"Tom, have you any Dittany?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Of course," Tom responded.

"Could you please hand it over," Professor McGonagall questioned.

The man seemed somewhat surprised, but he quickly fetched his bottle and handed it to the Professor. McGonagall curtly thanked Tom before turning back to Charlie. Only, she didn't see Tom following behind her grinning from ear to ear. McGonagall unstoppered the bottle and dropped a few drops of the liquid onto Charlie's leg. The little girl didn't even question what the older woman was doing.

"Minerva, good to see you again. You just missed it, Harry Potter…" the man began.

"Tom, I'd love to chat a bit, but I must get going, we have a whole supply list that needs attending to," Professor McGonagall said.

"Another Muggleborn?" Tom asked.

"Does her blood heritage really matter?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"No, no of course not. Usually you bring in the Muggleborns, so…" Tom stumbled on his words.

"Thanks for the Dittany, Tom," Minerva said.

Professor McGonagall then stood up and motioned for Charlie to follow her. Charlie stood up and followed after Professor McGonagall. The woman led her out the backdoor and into an area outside enclosed by bricks. How were they supposed to get out of here? They were trapped. Perhaps this McGonagall woman wasn't all she was cracked up to be; but Charlie knew one thing, she could be a scrappy fighter if she had to. If this woman had brought her here to kill her, she wasn't going down without a fight. But to her surprise, the older woman didn't even look at her. Instead she pulled out her wand and began tapping particular bricks. Suddenly, the wall began to shake and move. The bricks were moving so quickly that soon a hole appeared in the wall, or rather an archway. Charlie's eyes widened as she saw the street packed full with people. Most of them were dressed oddly in cloaks and funny hats, but the sight of these people thrilled her.

"Do you have that list?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Charlie responded.

"Good; read it please," Professor McGonagall commanded.

"But you're a teacher; don't you know what you need at your own school?" Charlie questioned.

"Just do as I say," Professor McGonagall said.

"But don't you know?" Charlie furthered.

"This is going to be a long seven years," Professor McGonagall muttered.

"What was that?" Charlie asked.

"Please read the list," Professor McGonagall said.

Charlie read the list aloud to Professor McGonagall.

_First-year students will require:_

_Uniform_

_Three Sets of Plain Work Robes (Black)_

_One Plain Pointed Hat (Black) for day wear_

_One Pair of Protective Gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_One Winter Cloak (Black, silver fastenings)_

_Please note that all student's clothes should carry name-tags._

_Books_

_The Standard Book of Spells__(Grade 1)__ by __Miranda Goshawk_

_A History of Magic__ by __Bathilda Bagshot_

_Magical Theory__ by __Adalbert Waffling_

_A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration__ by __Emeric Switch_

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi__ by __Phyllida Spore_

_Magical Drafts and Potions__ by __Arsenius Jigger_

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them__ by __Newt Scamander_

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection__ by __Quentin Trimble_

_Other Equipment_

_1 __Wand_

_1 __Cauldron__ (pewter, standard size 2)_

_1 set of glass or crystal phials_

_1 telescope_

_1 set of brass scales_

_Students may also bring an __Owl__ OR a __Cat__ OR a __Toad__._

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN __BROOMSTICKS__._

Charlie looked at Professor McGonagall with a look of shock on her face.

"And how are we going to afford all this?" Charlie questioned.

"You have a small allowance," Professor McGonagall said sternly.

"From where?" Charlie asked.

"The bank, where else does one get money?" Professor McGonagall stated.

"How much?" Charlie asked.

"Enough to buy your things," McGonagall said curtly.

"Anything else?" Charlie asked.

"We'll see," Professor McGonagall said with an eyebrow raised.

Charlie squealed in delight as Professor McGonagall led her down Diagon Alley. The older woman walked up to a shop called Flourish and Blotts and held the door open for Charlie to walk through. While Charlie was excited to learn of her magical heritage, leave it to a teacher to take her to the bookstore first. The Professor instructed her on which books to look for and which section. In her head she repeated _A History of Magic, A History of Magic_. Her fingers gently glided over the titles until she found the one she was looking for. Once it was in her hand, she turned around to find that the store was filled with children and their parents. She watched as a family of gingers rushed into the place and headed right for the used section. Charlie then looked for the older woman who was helping her. She spotted the older woman in line to pay, so she quickly pushed through the crowd to stand beside the woman in line. The two of them stood silently in line and paid for the books.

They continued to shop in Diagon Alley until there were only two items remaining on the list were a wand and school robes. Professor McGonagall suggested that they get the wand first, so they headed to Ollivanders. The store was rather dimly lit, but it was covered floor to ceiling with shelves stuffed to the brim with boxes. A slightly creepy old man stepped out from behind the bookcases.

"Why, Miss Charlotte Bl—" the old man began.

"Lily, Charlotte Lily," Professor McGonagall interrupted. "Just as we discussed, Mr. Ollivander, please."

"You know who I am?" Charlie asked innocently.

The older man looked to Professor McGonagall and gave her an odd look; but she looked just as stern as ever.

"Yes, of course Miss…Lily," the old man said.

"Miss Lily here needs a wand," Professor McGonagall stated.

"Yes, I suppose she does," Ollivander stated.

Mr. Ollivander eyed Charlie curiously before he went back a few rows to look at boxes of wands. The man muttered to himself until he had an a-ha moment. He grabbed a box and walked it over to where Charlie stood with Professor McGonagall.

"A wand familiar with the McKinnon family," Mr. Ollivander said.

Professor McGonagall shifted uncomfortably while Charlie reached for the wand. She took it in her hand and looked at it. Mr. Ollivander muttered something about it being made of Yew with Dragonheartstring core; but Charlie had no idea what that meant.

"What do I do with it?" Charlie asked.

"Give it a wave, of course," Mr. Ollivander said.

Charlie waved it, but it caused one of the books on the counter to burst into flames. Mr. Ollivander's and Professor McGonagall's wands both doused the flames before Mr. Ollivander quickly took that wand in question back. He thought aloud to himself briefly before he moved to the front of the store. He grabbed another box and plucked the wand from inside.

"Mahogany with a Phoenix feather core," Mr. Ollivander stated. "Very good for Transfiguration."

"How do you know how to pick them?" Charlie asked.

"Very carefully," Mr. Ollivander said looking to Professor McGonagall.

Charlie shrugged as she gave this wand a wave. Suddenly, a surge of power seemed to flow through her. That feeling made her feel incredible; like maybe she was actually useful for something. She looked to Mr. Ollivander who only appeared pleased. He stroked his chin as Charlie carefully set the wand back on the counter.

"It seems like Miss Lily is following in the fam-," Mr. Ollivander began.

"We'll be paying now," Professor McGonagall interrupted.

"Very well, Minerva," Mr. Ollivander said.

Professor McGonagall handed Mr. Ollivander the money to pay for the wand. She then put the wand in its case and placed it in her bag. Charlie knew that the bag had to have magical properties considering Professor McGonagall was carrying it around as if it weighed no more than a feather, yet it contained all their purchases thus far.

"Miss Lily," Mr. Ollivander called.

Charlie turned around and looked to the old man innocently.

"Your heart has not yet been _blackened_. That does not have to become your path," Mr. Ollivander said cryptically.

"Huh?" Charlie questioned.

"We were just leaving, Miss Lily," Professor McGonagall said.

Professor McGonagall pushed Charlie forward, right into another person. Both of them fell in a heap to the floor. Charlie examined the person on the floor in front of her: an odd looking boy with dark hair and the greenest eyes she had ever seen. Eyes she could also swear she had seen before. He quickly muttered an apology and offered a hand to help Charlie from the floor. She hesitantly accepted the boy's hand before turning to Professor McGonagall who wore an annoyed expression on her face.

"Reunited once more," Mr. Ollivander said from behind the counter.

"You were told to keep strictly to the schedule, Hagrid," Professor McGonagall said.

"Sorry, Professor McGonagall, ma'am; this was all we had left to do," Hagrid said.

"We made the schedule for a reason," Professor McGonagall said. "To avoid certain incidents."

Before Charlie could say anything to the strange boy, Professor McGonagall ushered her out of Ollivanders. She then walked down the cobbled alley until they came to Madam Malkins. They waited for what seemed like forever until a seamstress was ready to see them. Charlie stood up on a pedestal while the seamstress worked.

"Who was that boy?" Charlie asked. "His eyes seem familiar."

"You'll find out when you get to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said stiffly.

"Please? I promise I won't ask any other questions," Charlie said.

"If past experiences mean anything, I should know better than to believe that," Professor McGonagall stated.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Charlie asked.

"His name is Harry Potter," Professor McGonagall sighed.

"Who's he?" Charlie questioned.

"You haven't been hearin' of Harry Potter?" The seamstress asked.

"No, should I know who he is?" Charlie asked.

"He's only the Boy-Who-Lived," the seamstress said shaking her head.

"What does that mean?" Charlie asked.

"You-Know-Who tried to kill him, but he lived. Some rumors claim that there was another to survive the curse as well, but there isn't any proof," the seamstress continued.

"Who's You-Know-Who?" Charlie questioned.

"Marie, what do you think you're doing by talking about _him_ with a child?" another seamstress hissed.

"Sorry," Marie muttered.

Marie continued to work silently as Charlie once more asked who You-Know-Who was; but no one answered her. Professor McGonagall shook her head and clutched her throat. Charlie was determined to figure out this You-Know-Who person was. Maybe he was in one of those books Professor McGonagall had bought with her today. When she finally got a spare moment alone, she knew what she was going to be doing. Finally, the seamstress said she was done sticking her with pins and needles; for which Charlie was thankful.

"We have a bit of money left over," Professor McGonagall said lightly.

"Can we get some ice cream?" Charlie asked excitedly, having noticed an Fortesque's ice cream parlor on their trip.

"I have a different idea," Professor McGonagall said.

With a slight frown on her face, Charlie followed the older woman. She really wanted that ice cream. But Professor McGonagall opened the door to a place called Magical Menagerie. Charlie had no idea what the word menagerie meant; but whatever it was couldn't possibly be as good as ice cream. With a pout on her face she crossed the threshold; but immediately her pout turned into a look of confusion.

"I was thinking you might like a pet," Professor McGonagall said lightly.

Charlie felt slightly guilty for acting so poorly toward Professor McGonagall; but she didn't say so. Instead she simply nodded her head that she would like an animal. Charlie immediately began looking at the animals as Professor McGonagall began listing off the short list of animals that were allowed at Hogwarts. Toads were too…toady and disgusting. Then her eye came upon a rat, which caused her to shiver. She really hated rats. What she really needed was an animal that could take care of those pests for her. She then grinned because cats were perfect and they were allowed at Hogwarts. She then walked to the cats behind in their metal cages. Charlie let her hands run across the bars of the cages playfully until one tiny kitten began to chase her hand. Charlie stopped to focus on the black cat with stunning green eyes. While she did so, the cat gently licked her hand. The touch of the sandpaper rough tongue caused her to giggle, but then the cat pawed at her hand, begging for attention. She smiled at the cat. This cat was perfect: he liked her already and he could take care of pests.

"I want this one," Charlie stated.

"Are you sure?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Charlie nodded her head as Professor McGonagall motioned for the cashier to come over and help them. The man handed the cat over to Charlie, whom instantly cuddled close to the young girl. Professor McGonagall attempted to stifle a smile at the sweet moment Charlie shared with the cat; but truth be told, Professor McGonagall couldn't be prouder that the girl chose a cat. Maybe the girl wasn't completely like her father. After they paid for the cat they returned to Diagon Alley. Professor McGonagall said that they'd be spending the night at the Leaky Cauldron before leaving tomorrow. Charlie wasn't sure where she'd be going because her new school didn't start for a month. She only hoped that she wasn't going back to Miss Hester's and Miss Pearl's; but wherever she went, at least she'd no longer be alone she thought as her cat purred in her arms.


	4. Chapter 4

Charlie sat on the bed in the room Professor McGonagall had rented for the night at the Leaky Cauldron. They had dinner together that night at the Leaky Cauldron and then Professor McGonagall rented two rooms, one for each of them. This was the first time she ever had a room to herself before and even though it was a novelty she still missed having the company surrounding her. Professor McGonagall's room was just down the hall; but she didn't want to disturb the older woman. Her books were piled at the end of her bed, except for the one she was currently reading _Hogwarts, a History_ with her new kitten curled in her lap. The black kitten purred contently as she softly petted him behind his ears. She needed a name for him. Kitty wasn't too original and it sounded like a three year old named it. So, she currently scoured her books looking for an appropriate name. But then her kitten placed his paw on the page of her book on the word 'Roman.' Roman?

"Do you like that name, Roman?" Charlie asked her kitten.

The kitten licked at her fingers which caused her to giggle. Roman it was. She then carefully tossed the book in the pile with her other books and curled up with Roman to get a good night's sleep. From the sound of things, she was going to be going back to Miss Hester and Miss Pearl's until term started September 1st. She had desperately pleaded with Professor McGonagall to let her stay somewhere else; anywhere else. She had even suggested that she stay at the Leaky Cauldron; but Professor McGonagall was adamantly against that. No one in their right minds would take in an almost eleven year old for free or without supervision. Professor McGonagall allowed Charlie to sleep in a bit before they got up for breakfast. For Charlie, breakfast was a rather somber event. She had just gotten her first glimpse of the Wizarding world and loved it; but now it was going to be taken away from her for the next month. Charlie and Professor McGonagall rode the bus from Charing Cross Road back to Waltham Abbey. After last night, Charlie stubbornly refused to talk to Professor McGonagall unless she relented to allow her to stay away from Miss Hester and Miss Pearl's. So far, she wasn't relenting. Maybe it would be like in the movies and she would have a last minute change of heart, or at least she hoped so. Sulkily, with Roman on her lap, Charlie looked at Professor McGonagall who looked rather stern.

"This isn't fair," Charlie muttered.

"This is only temporary. You'll be at Hogwarts in one month. You've survived almost ten years, I'm sure you can survive a month," Professor McGonagall responded.

"How do you know how long I've been there?" Charlie asked.

"It's no secret," Professor McGonagall said.

"What about before? Do you know about my life before I was there? Did I have a mother and father who loved me?" Charlie asked.

Professor McGonagall stared straight ahead and didn't answer her questions. Charlie rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. The remainder of the bus ride was completely silent. Charlie reluctantly followed Professor McGonagall back to Miss Hester and Miss Pearl's. She had thought that she was finally going to be rid of them; but it seemed like she was supposed to come here every summer break because she could remain at Hogwarts for Christmas and Easter breaks. But the fact that she ever had to go back to the rotten place didn't sit well with Charlie. When they turned down the lane to Miss Hester and Miss Pearl's Charlie began the waterworks; but it had no effect on Professor McGonagall. Instead of responding to Charlie's fit, Professor McGonagall knocked on the door. Miss Pearl opened the door and looked quite surprised to see them.

"You don't want her?" Miss Pearl asked.

"Not until the start of term. You'll need to drop her off at King's Cross Station before eleven when her train leaves," Professor McGonagall stated.

"I'm afraid that isn't possible. My sister and I are quite unavailable that day," Miss Pearl responded.

Charlie watched as Professor McGonagall and Miss Pearl went in circles over the situation. Miss Pearl only agreed to take her in again if Professor McGonagall paid a sum of money for the trouble and brought her to King's Cross Station on the first of September. Professor McGonagall handed over some money to Miss Pearl, whom looked at the amount in disgust and demanded more. Rather reluctantly, Professor McGonagall handed over the last of her money. Charlie looked at Miss Pearl, who was acting rather greedy.

"You haven't left her any money to get home," Charlie exclaimed.

But Miss Pearl didn't care. She grabbed Charlie by the arm and yanked her inside; which caused her to squeeze the cat in her arms a little too tight. Roman hissed and jumped from Charlie's arms into Professor McGonagall's. Professor McGonagall tried to assure Charlie that she still would be able to get home without money. Charlie broke free of Miss Pearl's grasp as Professor McGonagall looked at the marks left by the woman on Charlie's wrist. The older woman looked absolutely disgusted. Professor McGonagall reminded herself to talk with Albus about the situation; surely the rules could be bent this once because this place was not fit for anyone to live.

"No pets," Miss Pearl hissed.

"But he's mine!" Charlie screamed.

"You know the rules around here,' Miss Pearl said.

"I'll hold onto your school things until September 1st," Professor McGonagall said.

Charlie nodded with her eyes full of tears. Not only was she going to be without magic; but she was going to be without her own cat. She sniffled as she kissed Roman goodbye; but Miss Pearl yanked her back inside. For the next month, she wasn't allowed to tell anyone of her magical abilities. Apparently, there was some Secrecy Statute that was designed to keep the Wizarding World a secret; but keeping the secret wasn't that difficult. Charlie didn't have anyone to tell at Miss Hester and Miss Pearl's. No one would talk to her unless it was commanding her to do some chore or another. It seemed as if Miss Hester and Miss Pearl had frightened the other children into not talking with her. So Charlie, did her chores, sat in her room, or walked about Waltham Abbey to help her pass the time waiting until she'd finally be allowed to go back to Hogwarts.

August 24th seemed like an ordinary day to everyone else. It was as if they didn't even remember it was Charlie's birthday. Charlie had gone to the closest park to skip stones on the pond as a present to herself. Professor McGonagall did send her a card with several sweets in a package; but Miss Hester took the package from her and ate the sweets herself. Charlie had cried herself to sleep early that night. She just didn't understand how someone could treat her so poorly; but that made her think of her parents. Had they not wanted her either? Had she done something to make them not love her? But after countless tears, Charlie was just thankful that only one week was left until she was out of this place and she was on the train to Hogwarts. Hogwarts, a place where maybe she could finally be happy.

September 1st finally rolled around, which Charlie was so excited the night before that she couldn't sleep. She was up at the crack of dawn dressed for the day, waiting for Professor to arrive. She couldn't wait until she got to see Roman again. She couldn't wait to make some friends who wouldn't think she was just some freak. But most importantly, she wanted to get some answers about her past, especially about her parents. She packed the few articles of clothing that belonged to her and shoved them in a rucksack before she headed downstairs to wait. Waiting, that seemed to be the hard part. Charlie waited at the bottom of the stairs hoping Professor McGonagall would come early; but she didn't come very early. Professor McGonagall arrived a little after nine and Charlie was nearly dying of boredom. Miss Hester and Miss Pearl ignored Professor McGonagall's knock at the door; but Charlie was right by the door so she answered it happily.

"Are you ready?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Charlie said.

Professor McGonagall peered inside before she stiffly nodded her head. Charlie took hold of her rucksack and followed Professor McGonagall outside who had a taxi waiting for them.

"We aren't taking the bus?" Charlie asked.

"Not this time," Professor McGonagall responded.

Professor McGonagall opened the car door for Charlie to get in. Charlie squealed in delight when she saw Roman sitting in the backseat. Roman instantly cuddled up onto her lap; but she picked him up and squeezed him tightly. Even though she had only known her cat a day, she had missed him like crazy this past month. Professor McGonagall slid into her seat and directed the taxi driver that they needed to go to King's Cross Station. Professor McGonagall tried to explain things to Charlie; but she didn't pay any attention to the older woman. Instead, she intently watched and petted her cat.

"Charlotte," Professor McGonagall reprimanded.

"It's Charlie," Charlie groaned.

"You weren't paying attention," Professor McGonagall stated.

"Sorry," Charlie muttered.

"When we get to King's Cross, I'll help you find the train; but after that I must be going. I have things I need to attend to before school begins," Professor McGonagall said.

"Is that all?" Charlie asked.

"So much like him…" Professor McGonagall muttered.

"Like who?" Charlie questioned.

"It's none of your concern," Professor McGonagall sighed.

Charlie looked to Professor McGonagall once more and could tell that there was something she wasn't telling her; but instead she returned her attention to her cat. She pressed a kiss against the top of Roman's head. From the car, Charlie watched as the buildings continued to whir by. She did think it kind of weird that they were traveling by car. I mean they had magic, right? So what about brooms or flying carpets? Honestly, she didn't mind too much though. She was simply excited to be going somewhere that wasn't Miss Hester and Miss Pearl's. She knew that she would probably annoy Professor McGonagall with all her questions; so she opted to talk to the taxi driver. He seemed somewhat amused by her and humored her questioned. It was a little past ten when they finally arrived in the drive of King's Cross Station. Professor McGonagall had Charlie wait in the car while she grabbed a trolley. When Professor McGonagall came back, Charlie and the taxi driver got out of the cab. The man loaded a trunk onto the trolley. The trunk had the letters CL engraved on the top.

"Whose trunk is that?" Charlie questioned.

"My initials certainly aren't CL," Professor McGonagall stated.

"Did you buy that for me?" Charlie asked incredibly.

"Don't think too much about it. At Hogwarts you need something to store your belongings in under your bed," Professor McGonagall said stiffly.

"Thank you," Charlie whispered. "I love it."

Professor McGonagall's head whipped around to look at Charlie. While the girl clearly was her father's through and through, this was one of those moments where her mother shone. It slightly tortured Professor McGonagall's heart that they must keep the girl's heritage a secret from her; but as Dumbledore had so often stated, it was for the best. It was better that she didn't know until it was absolutely necessary. The girl should at least be given a few years of normal life as she could.

"What are you staring at?" Charlie questioned.

"Nothing, we must be off," Professor McGonagall stated.

Professor McGonagall began pushing the trolley toward the building which already appeared to be crowded with people.

"Keep up," Professor McGonagall called.

Charlie nodded her head and quickly followed after Professor McGonagall clutching tightly to her kitten. When Charlie finally caught up to a brisk-walking Professor McGonagall, she was slightly panting for breath. She overheard a woman telling her small son which platform they were looking for, so they could board the proper train. Professor McGonagall had never told her what platform they were looking for, so she was curious.

"What platform are we looking for?" Charlie asked.

"Just keep up and I'll get you there," Professor McGonagall said.

Charlie rolled her eyes. How was she supposed to help find the place if she wasn't told where they were going? But Professor McGonagall kept up the quick pace until they came upon Platforms 9 and 10. Charlie was about to keep walking when Professor McGonagall grabbed her by the arm causing her to jerk backward and fall to the floor. She fell hard on her bottom and several people with trolleys grumbled at her interruption in the walkway. Charlie stood right back up and looked at Professor McGonagall with a confused glance. Professor McGonagall motioned for her to step closer, which Charlie reluctantly obeyed.

"Grab hold of the trolley," Professor McGonagall commanded. "I'll walk with you right through the barrier."

"What do you mean, through the barrier?" Charlie asked.

Professor McGonagall looked straight ahead to the wall.

"We're going through the wall?" Charlie gasped.

"Sh! Not so loud," Professor McGonagall reprimanded.

"We're going through the wall?" Charlie repeated, this time in a whisper.

"Just do as you're told," Professor McGonagall groaned.

Charlie placed Roman in the crate which was on top of the trolley. She then put her hands on the trolley while Professor McGonagall stood behind her and placed her hands further on the outside than Charlie's hands. Charlie's breathing began to quicken in nervousness. She knew she should trust Professor McGonagall, but who in their right mind ran right for a solid wall?

"We best be going," Professor McGonagall said.

"Isn't there another way?" Charlie asked.

Professor McGonagall didn't respond. Instead she began to push the trolley toward the solid wall. Charlie quickly followed suit as the pace quickened. When they were about to come into contact with the wall, Charlie tightly shut her eyes; but the crash never came. Instead they came to a slow halt.

"You can open your eyes, Miss Lily," Professor McGonagall stated.

Charlie slowly opened her eyes to reveal a scarlet red train engine with people slowly beginning to trickle around the train. The words 'Hogwarts Express' were engraved into the front of the train and at that moment, Charlie's grin widened. It was really happening and no one was going to take it away from her. Professor McGonagall helped her find a compartment on the train.

"It's ten-thirty; you need to stay here because the train leaves at eleven. Do not get off for any reason," Professor McGonagall said. "I'll see you when you arrive at Hogwarts."

Charlie nodded her head as she pulled Roman out of his crate. When she turned around she found Professor McGonagall had already left. Sit on a train for thirty minutes, how hard could that be? For this eleven year old, it was a lot harder than expected. She didn't know how long she had been sitting there; but she had gotten bored. She knew Professor McGonagall had told her not to get off the train; but the people outside intrigued her. She placed Roman on the seat by himself and poked her head out into the corridor. No Professor McGonagall waiting for her to escape, so she practically flew down the corridor for the exit. Suddenly, she was enveloped by a sea of people. Children being hugged by their parents or parents giving last minute instructions to their children. As she simply stood there taking it all in, a body ran into her.

"Watch where you're going," a pale blonde boy hissed.

"You're the one who ran into me," Charlie hissed back.

"Don't you know who I am?" the boy questioned.

"Does it look like I care who you are?" Charlie questioned back.

Normally, she wasn't quite so rude to people she met for the first time; but this boy was plain rude. An older blonde woman walked toward them and helped her son to his feet.

"What's going on here?" the woman asked.

"_She_ ran into me," the pale blonde whined.

"I did not!" Charlie insisted.

Charlie looked right into the pale grey eyes of the woman that were eerily similar to her own. The woman looked about to reprimand her when she quickly closed her mouth. For a few more seconds the woman stared which made Charlie feel extremely uncomfortable.

"What's your name, girl?" the older woman asked.

"I know better than to talk to strangers," Charlie retorted.

"Draco here's a first year. It doesn't hurt to talk to a classmate's mother," the woman persisted.

Charlie looked at the woman for a moment. While the woman's explanation may be fine; it's not like she'd see the woman again anyways. What harm could it be just to say her name?

"My name's Charlie. It's short for Charlotte," Charlie responded.

"And do you have a last name, Charlotte?" the woman responded.

"It's Charlie," Charlie groaned.

"Mother, I need to get on the train," the young boy groaned.

Charlie took this as her chance to escape. She didn't want to be near the pale blonde boy or his mother anymore. The woman had looked at her oddly. When she returned to her compartment she found a bushy haired girl and two dark haired boys in her compartment. Charlie's eyes scanned the compartment for Roman, who was perched on the luggage compartment overhead.

"Is that cat yours?" the bushy-haired girl asked.

"His name's Roman," Charlie responded.

Charlie stood on the seat and opened her arms for Roman to climb toward her. Roman reluctantly hopped into her arms before she sat back down on the seat. The bushy-haired girl sat across from her, staring at her.

"Yes?" Charlie questioned.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce yourself?" the girl asked.

"I'm Charlie," Charlie shrugged.

"Well Charlie, you really shouldn't leave your cat unattended on a train…" the bushy-haired girl began.

"Maybe she had to use the lavatory," the boy next to her said timidly holding his toad.

The bushy-haired annoying girl nodded her head once; but something told Charlie that the girl wasn't buying it. Charlie simply looked at the girl for a moment before she took a deep breath and began to pet Roman.

"Well, you all know my name; what are yours?" Charlie asked.

"I'm Hermione Granger," the bushy-haired girl said.

Remember to avoid Hermione Granger, Charlie thought.

"I'm Seamus Finnigan," a boy said with a cute Irish accent.

"I—I'm Neville, Neville Longbottom," the boy with the toad said.

The whistle for the train began to blow and suddenly the train began to pull away. Charlie's face was practically glued to the window. She noticed the pale woman waving. She also noticed a group of gingers, with a young girl crying. But all too soon, they were out of the station and on the tracks to Hogwarts. Charlie settled into her seat as the girl she know knew was named Hermione Granger began talk anything and everything about Hogwarts, as if she had been there before. But from the conversation, Charlie could tell that this would be her first year too. Not paying too much attention to the girl drone on, or maybe it was because she had woken up so early; but Charlie softly fell asleep, every minute inching closer to Hogwarts.


End file.
